Miss Mysterious Nightingale
by 22dreamer
Summary: Taneka Nightingale is a young girl with a broken past. But when she reaches Riften and is introduced to the family of thieves things might just change for the better, follow Taneka as her years pass with love, hurt and betrayal. P.s the first parts of the story is set when Gallus is still alive, but does not follow the same time jumps.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys as this is only the introduction it's a really short chapter, but I promise the next ones will be a whole lot longer. Reviews are much appreciated and are rather helpful, have fun reading!**

A small Nordic girl of roughly 10 silently moved through the main street of Riften ignoring the curious glances of the guards, her waist length brown hair slightly messy from her lonesome trip to the corrupt town, flowing behind her. A small pack swung on her back and a dagger clung to her side as if it had been there for years. She walked towards the center of a market place, eyeing a food stall she walked over, desperate for substance she spotted an apple that shouldn't be missed her eyes darting back an forth for danger she quickly lunged out and snatched it from the stand.

She turned ready to run when an arm snatched her from behind, she looked up to see the helmeted face of a guard, "so another thief I see" he snarled at her "n..n..no" she stammered, "well I believe you didn't pay for that you little brat" he accused raising his free hand, the girl closed her eyes and winced ready for the blow that never came. "I don't think your Jarl would be too pleased at you hitting a child, would she?" a new voice said, the girl opened her eyes registering the new voice to a tall Imperial man with dark brown hair slicked back into a small pony tail, "well, well I should've guessed she's part of your pathetic little guild, eh Gallus, I'll let her go. Just this once. Only because I quite enjoy my possessions" He snarled pushing the short girl into the man and stalking off.

"Hey you, you might want to run back to your parents before you get into any more trouble" he said crouching down to get to her height "my parents are dead" she whispered on the brink of tears "have you got a place to say, any family that can take you in?" Gallus said gently pushing a strand of hair out of her face and behind a pointed ear? "no, It's just me" she said quietly.

Suddenly a young boy with fiery red hair ran up behind him, "Oh who's the lass Gal" the boy asked staring at the girl with a look of wonder, "Hm, what is your name" he asked looking into her eyes, only to see one brown eye and one green eye staring back at him, he smiled gently, "Taneka Nightingale, Sir" she said "well Taneka, the names Gallus, no need to be formal and this is- "I'm Brynjolf, I'm twelve, it's nice to meet you" the boy interrupted in a strange accent, the man chuckled "how would you like to join a place where you can have a new family, as well as having a little fun stealing" the man said a twinkle in his eye "you… You mean it" Taneka said hopefully, "with all our hearts lass" Brynjolf said smiling at her, "well then I'm in", "Well, let's get you settled into your new home" Gallus called out as Brynjolf had already began to whisk her away, "kids…" he muttered under his breath. Smiling he walked towards the temple of Mara.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys I'm back for chapter 1 (because the last chapter was the introduction) and its set in Brynjolf's POV, Taneka is now 12, Bryn is 14, Gallus is 25, Karliah is 23 and Mercer is 24. Also I know I said this was going to be longer but I just wanted to publish it as soon as possible, please forgive me**

 **Two years later** :

"So Miss Nightingale, I dare you… To steal Madesi's ring from his strong box and place it on Brand-shei" I say looking over at Taneka "hmm I dunno Bryn, isn't framing a bit over the top. Every time I talk to him he's always rather nice" she says looking at me with her different coloured eyes and frowning slightly "your only stalling because you think he's cute" I tease 'teasing is always her weak point', "what no I don't, he's ugly" she grimaces and looks at me as if I'm stupid "of course you don't" I snicker and roll my eyes "fine, I'll do it, but only to shut you up" she says glaring at me, and leaps of the temple roof we've perched. I laugh and follow her as she walks swiftly to the market place.

I sit on the cobble stone wall and watch as she approaches Mercer who is conning people at a stall he bends down and she whispers something in his ear, he smirks and looks towards me, I throw my hands up in defense and he laughs, he pats her head 'gods Damn him, he always did like the lass', Mercer begins some sort of distraction, rambling about a good luck amulet 'only a fool would believe him' and I'm amazed as everyone gathers around to listen and immediately starts bidding.

'By the eight I can't believe all these people! Guess I'm going to have fun when Gallus let's me go on a real job, only another year though and I'll be raking in a fortune, and maybe then Delvin will stop treating me like a child'. In the time that I've watched him I notice Taneka slip the ring into Brand Shei's pocket and quickly darts away and seats herself beside me and Mercer finishes his Con having just sold it for 3000 coin! "should have gave you something harder" I mutter as Taneka presses her finger to my lips and giggles as she points her other finger to where a guard is asking the dark elf to turn out his pockets and a furious Madesi is throwing curses at the confused Mer.

"Really you two can't stop causing trouble for just an afternoon?" a familiar voice says behind us, Taneka beams and turns around on the spot "well you know us Gal, besides what else are we supposed to do for fun" she says innocently tossing her long hair over her shoulder in a girly fashion and right into my face, I push her hair away as Karliah approaches us her prized bow set upon her back, in her hand a hunting bag which no doubt holds some sort of game that will add to the meal for tonight's hungry guild members "good job 'gale, but seriously Bryn try not to get her in trouble, especially when we're not around to bail you two out of jail" Karliah says looking especially at me, "we never get caught and besides I wouldn't have let her anyway if Mercer wasn't here" I say throwing my the thumb towards the con man's stand. Gallus laughs and throws an arm around my shoulder pulling me off the wall "you'll make a fine man Bryn, and with the way you are always watching out for her you'll probably marry the girl" he laughs into my ear, I roll my eyes and with that he steers us towards the flaggon.

 **1 month later:**

"I think something is bothering Mercer" Taneka voiced turning to look at me, "why do you say that 'T?"

"well he used to be so kind, and out of nowhere he's just snapping and yelling at me for no reason. Like the other night when I hugged Gallus goodnight and he told me that he wasn't my father, so why was I acting like he was" she said annoyed, taking her anger out by carving some strange symbols on the warf we had sat upon, "Maybe he's just jealous or confused about Karliah courting Gallus, you must see how he looks at her, he's obviously I'm love" I say and wink at her "Of course I do, I not a falmer, but I still doesn't give him the right to treat me like a pile of skeever droppings", "I know lass, like I said he's probably just confused and doesn't know how to unleash his anger" I say throwing my arm around her shoulder and pulling her closer to me "Oh, he knows how to unleash his anger, just not in a good way" she mutters, "just try to stay out of his way, and maybe he'll just calm himself down" I say hugging her, "I hope your right Bryn" she whispers and turned towards the setting sun.


End file.
